The Connect conference agenda is announced, is Meta's first consumer-grade smart glasses really coming?

The schedule for Meta's annual developer conference strongly suggests that its first consumer-grade smart glasses with display functionality will be released soon.

The latest schedule for the Connect conference released by Meta shows that CEO Mark Zuckerberg will deliver a keynote speech on September 18th, Beijing time, sharing the "latest developments in AI smart glasses." This theme indicates that an important hardware and software release event is imminent, firmly capturing the market's attention on Meta's next-generation wearable devices.

Additionally, the conference agenda includes several sessions on the "new Meta developer toolkit to be announced on September 18th," with speakers' backgrounds directly pointing to the smart glasses project.

These developments align closely with previous media reports about a new type of smart glasses codenamed "Hypernova" from Meta.

If successfully launched, this will mark Meta's most significant push into the emerging smart glasses market beyond virtual reality (VR) headsets and may pave the way for the future release of true augmented reality (AR) glasses.

The agenda holds secrets, is the SDK for AI smart glasses about to be released?

The announced agenda for the Connect conference provides the clearest clues to date. On the second day of the conference, there will be three developer sessions, all themed around the "new Meta developer toolkit to be announced on September 18th."

The backgrounds of the speakers for these sessions further enhance market expectations. One of the speakers is Lansing Lee, whose public professional information indicates that his job is "to help the company bring applications to AI glasses like Ray-Ban Meta."

The other two speakers, Valentina Chacón Buitrago and Conor Griffiths, also have professional experiences closely related to Meta's Spark AR platform, external software integration for Ray-Ban Meta glasses, and the development of AR/AI content for future wearable devices.

This series of carefully arranged agendas and personnel details almost confirms that Meta will release a software development kit (SDK) for smart glasses.

According to previous reports from CNBC, Meta has reached out to third-party developers, particularly those focused on generative AI, aiming to build "experimental applications" for the upcoming HUD glasses for product promotion.

"Hypernova" emerges, possibly equipped with a heads-up display

The hints in the schedule coincide with previous reports about a pair of smart glasses codenamed "Hypernova." Reports from The Verge, The Information, and well-known tech journalist Mark Gurman indicate that Meta plans to launch this highly anticipated product this year.

According to a previous leak from CNBC, Meta will unveil two new smart glasses at this year's Connect developer conference, which users can control/operate using gestures from a (worn wristband), with the product initially codenamed Hypernova in collaboration with French partner EssilorLuxottica, featuring a small display (HUD) on the right lens.

Reports suggest that the display is primarily used to show time, weather, notifications, photo previews, navigation, and real-time subtitles and translations for voice, while also displaying Meta AI's responses in text form.

The control method is another major highlight of this product. According to Gurman's previous reports, "Hypernova" will be controlled via a sEMG (surface electromyography) neural wristband that has been in development for several years, allowing users to operate the glasses with gestures.

Additionally, The Information reported that due to the added display, the device weighs about 70 grams, higher than the 50 grams of Ray-Ban Meta. Furthermore, firmware information indicates that the final product name may be "Meta Celeste," with an expected price of around $800.

Meta's Ambition in Wearable Devices

The launch of the SDK is key to Meta's construction of a wearable device ecosystem.

Due to the limited computing power of the existing Ray-Ban Meta glasses, Meta's Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth has repeatedly explained why a traditional device-side SDK has not been provided.

Therefore, there are two possible speculations regarding the upcoming toolkit. One possibility is a server-side SDK similar to Amazon Alexa Skills, allowing developers to build integration features for Meta AI rather than developing applications for the glasses themselves.

Another possibility is that the SDK is specifically designed for the upcoming "Hypernova" glasses, which may have stronger computing capabilities, allowing developers to run applications locally on the device.

Regardless of the form it takes, an open platform will be Meta's core strategy to attract developers, enrich content, and thus attract consumers.

[CITIC Securities analysis points out,](https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzUzNTE3NDMwNw==&mid=2247660917&idx=1&sn=b41ce9615c377df4daa032caf024d8ca&chksm=fb6c50562dbcf4aae75e3e6e5feba4f5795a28a1b5d604c9ee1fa9c6b96daf53c5cc648de39c&mpshare=1&scene=23&srcid=0831zZy1T2ExOVRTFbb2Zma8&sharer_shareinfo=a83cbcaa10322ab6755221291ba21a28&sharer_shareinfo_first=2bed7bf7c4cfc9dcd944fdad057ecc9b# The hardware form, integration of hardware and software, and operation methods of “Hypernova” may bring new consensus and standards to the industry, potentially leading to a new round of more sustainable trends in edge devices and edge AI ecological industries.

CITIC also stated that considering there are currently not many monetization scenarios for AR glasses applications, the accumulation of users and the formation of a developer ecosystem will still require a long process. Currently, the focus remains on thematic opportunities, with investment attention in the industrial chain more concentrated on new technology directions such as waveguides and MicroLED.

As the conference approaches, the market is closely watching how Meta will reveal its next move in the smart glasses field and how this will shape the competitive landscape of future computing platforms